November 2007

"Wait, what?" Sara asked brows knit tight in confusion. Her brother had just completely flip-flopped on his opinion of her future.

"You heard me."

"Yeah no shit, I heard you. I just don't understand what suddenly changed in five minutes."

"Sare, just accept it."

"No I want you to explain this to me. I'm not having you change your mind again in a week and come dragging me hell-or-high-water to Nevada with you." She hated being cynical but if there was anything her life had taught her it was to wait for the other shoe to fall before celebrating.

"I just—I'm tired Sara." He sighed, running a hand through his dirty blonde hair. It was beginning to stick out at odd directions from the frequent repetition of the motion but she hardly noticed. She was too busy critically surveying her brother's facial expressions to make sure he wasn't joking. He took a shaky breath before continuing.

"I'm just so fucking tired. All the time. I'm… I'm done arguing with you on this. DoI want you to go to Charming? Fuck no. I don't trust those guys, and of course I want you with me where I can keep you safe. You're my little sister; it's my job. At the same time, I don't want to fight with you over this. What am I supposed to do? Tie you up and throw you over my bike; bring you kicking and screaming? You keep telling me you are an adult and that you want your own path or whatever and I just… I guess it's time to let you try that out for yourself." The rawness in his voice made her lip quiver and second guess her urge to leave.

"Jason, I'm not trying to hurt you by leaving—"

"I know—"

"Let me finish. I'm not trying to hurt you. I know how you are feeling, because I have those same fears. We are both so fucked up from mom leaving and then everything with Dad." He nodded minutely, and she knew he was putting up a strong front for her sake. "Just because I'm not moving to Reno doesn't mean I'm leaving you behind. You're still my big brother. I'll just be a phone call away." She offered with a nudge. While they both had developed some thick skin, it was obvious to her that he was still just as torn up inside as she was. He let out a drawn out groan before pulling her onto the couch and into his side for a hug.

"I hate this." He grumbled.

"I know. But I love you for it." She stated curling up next to him. They held each other in silence for a moment, just enjoying the presence of the other. It had been a long time since they had relied each on each other for comfort. The catharsis Sara felt knowing she and her brother were back on an even keel made her heart ache painfully in her chest. With everything going on lately and how he had been treating her, she knew it had to be stress regardless of what everyone had been telling her. Jason wasn't turning into their father; he was just a man trying the best he could to keep his world from falling apart. Guilt bubbled up in her chest for pushing his limits and making his life more difficult the last few weeks. She knew better. She had been raised better. She had just been so fired up about the attacks on the girls that she wouldn't take no for an answer and pressed so hard to go to Charming in the first place; maybe it would be good to get some distance from her brother for his sake just as much as hers; she felt like she was only making his life more difficult and it was unfair to him to always been looking after her.

"I really don't like him." Jason stated flatly, interrupting her thoughts.

"You don't even know him." She countered with an eye roll.

"I know he's fucking my sister who is nearly half his age."

"Stop being dramatic. It's not that bad. Besides, you didn't like Ryan and I together at first either."

"Yeah, because he was a grown-ass man who wanted to bang my sixteen year old sister." Jason argued with a scoff.

"He's also one of your best friends." She pointed out with a smug grin. Jason hummed in dismissal.

"Just promise me that if things don't work out or you change your mind, you won't be too stubborn to tell me. You can always come to Reno or where ever later." He advised with a warning tone, and she as overwhelmed by his almost paternal concern. She gave a small nod, knowing that she likely wouldn't—couldn't—take him up on that offer. She needed to learn to live on her own for once. He squeezed her gently.

"I'm serious. You'll always have a home where I am." She nodded again in acknowledgment, her mind reeling from the intake of all the information.

"Love you, Jase." She finally stated and he kissed the top of her head affectionately. Her heart was warmed into a liquid puddle but the moment was cut short by his hand rubbing the top of her head roughly, messing up her hair followed by his laughter.

"Jason!" She shrieked, laughing and trying to pull away as he continued to tousle her hair. She slid to the other end of the couch and dramatically blew the strands of blonde hair hanging out of her face. "You're the worst."

"Not my fault you are so susceptible to nougies."

"Try growing up for once." She teased as he flipped on the TV.

"Grab me a beer?" He asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." She huffed and climbed up, fixing her messy hair on the way to the kitchen. After grabbing him a drink, she headed into her room and grabbed her phone, flipping through the phone book, her finger hovering over a name momentarily before quickly scrolling to a different one and dialing. She blew out a breath as the person picked up.

"Hey Juicy, so I guess I'm moving to Charming." She stated, looking around her room.

December 2007

It had been a few weeks since Jason had given her the surprising go-ahead to uproot her life and move it to Charming. She had been anxiously packing and boxing up her stuff, and talking to Gemma about securing an apartment for January. Juice had been helping as well, although he was being kept pretty busy running the security and intel on the gun warehouse.

She hadn't told Happy. Not yet. She wasn't sure why she couldn't bring herself to tell him; maybe because they hadn't really spoken much since Thanksgiving.

Other than answering her inquiry about whether he had ever made it to Tacoma –he had—they had barely messaged. She wasn't sure if he was busy or just giving her space; regardless he wasn't one to initiate conversation and she couldn't bring herself to tell him. The blonde had typed out and deleted at least 20 messages in the last few weeks. Every time she went to send it, fear raced through her veins. What if he didn't actually want her to move? What if he didn't care? What if he did?

What was he going to do? Say, 'ok cool' and then continue on with his life? He was busy in Washington and she didn't know when he would be back down South; she hadn't asked and nobody had said anything. It wasn't any of her business anyway. Still, she had nearly chewed her lips raw obsessing over it.

Jason was busy arranging his transfer to Reno, and some of the other guys were starting to figure out their transfers as well. Sara had found some time to call some of the guys in prison and touch base around the holidays. Ryan had refused her offer of visitation, but she wasn't surprised. He had told her that he was going to take her off the list when he had ended things. He couldn't stand the thought of her visiting and being able to see her and not touch her. He thought it would be best if she just couldn't visit anymore. Being rejected by him burned a little in her chest but she was surprised that it didn't break her down like it would have months ago.

Sara found herself driving up to Charming with a car full of boxes and suitcases on a Saturday morning a few days before Christmas. She figured if she was coming up to look at apartments, she might as well bring a load and just store it at Gemma and Clay's in the meantime.

Sara collapsed on Gemma's couch with an exhausted breath. Gemma had dragged her around town and showed her a variety of apartments in the area. Halfway into viewing the first one, Sara realized she didn't even know how much she could afford. She had some money put away but she didn't have a real job. When she moved in with Ryan he handled the rent and after he was arrested she had moved in with her brother who, in turn, also paid the rent.

Sara, herself, had never paid rent.

She had said as much to Gemma with a pink flush to her cheeks but the matriarch assured her that they'd make sure she could afford it. The younger woman wasn't sure what that meant but was quickly getting the impression the Teller-Morrow clan and the Charming Sons could pull pretty much any string they needed in the small town. After that, she couldn't help the light in her eyes as she imagined furniture layouts and hosting get-togethers in each apartment. For the first time in her life she would have something of her own; it was both terrifying and exciting.

In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder what Happy would think about each one; or whether the shower was conducive to sex; or how thin the walls were. Part of her hated that he kept sneaking into her mind even though she had resolved not to take him into account; part of her was ready to just embrace the fixation.

"Do I need a spare bedroom?" Sara had asked as they looked at floorplans in pamphlets. "Because if I didn't, than I could get the townhome with a garage and yard and master balcony." Gemma looked over her shoulder and scoffed.

"Yeah get that one. Any visitors you have can sleep on the couch or at the clubhouse. Or in your bed." She teased with a hip bump. Sara giggled and blushed. She knew Gemma had heard and seen much worse from all the croweaters but it still weirded her out to openly talk about her sex life with her surrogate mother-figure.

Now, as she lay on the couch, she was officially the renter of a one bedroom/one-and-a-half bath townhouse. She wouldn't be moving in until the New Year but Gemma had taken her out afterward for lunch and then to the IKEA a few towns over to start ordering furniture. Some of it she could bring up from the house she shared with her brother, but she also wanted to start fresh with some things. She couldn't continue sleeping in the bed she shared with Ryan. She would never move on if she kept getting slapped in the face by their history. New Year, new town, new me she mused.

It hit her suddenly how quickly things were changing in her life. Part of her felt like she was just a passenger on freight-train racing away at a breakneck pace and the other felt as if she was in control of her life for the very first time. In a few years she went from a happy, engaged twenty-year-old with a supportive family, to a single woman with a broken family, to this new independent woman who lived by herself and had her own job—hopefully. She had found a few listings of interest and was going to check in with St Thomas about their addiction management services.

She realized, with a certain twinge of shame, how relieved she was to be out from under her brother and father. When her father had betrayed the club, she was sure it was going to be a dark cloud that hovered over her for the rest of her life but it seemed that the SAMCRO guys didn't hold her responsible for the sins of her father. She supposed that was part of what drew her to the small town. She still wasn't wholly at ease with all of them, but she considered Juice and Half-Sack to be friends, and she knew Gemma would always have her back. The rest would come with time.

For the first time in a long time, she was out of her brother's shadow. She had always been treated like a princess by the guys in the club, but she knew her father would have rather had two boys and he never ceased to remind her of the inconvenience placed in his life by her presence. Jason had taken over the harsh persona when he had been given power. It wasn't that she didn't wholly understand their punishments—there were plenty of times she hadn't made their lives easier—but it certainly was a relief to no longer bear the brunt of their desire to make an example of her. There was some irony in the fact that Jason had once been the one to protect her from their father and had become the one doing the sentencing. Power makes a man the very thing he fought to change. She sincerely hoped that his recent change for better would stick now that the weight of the club would be off his shoulders.

"Hey sweetheart, want to help me with dinner? Gotta have it finished before the party at the clubhouse tonight; can't have my boys drinking on empty stomachs." Gemma's voice rang from the kitchen. Sara rolled her eyes defiantly to herself but got up off the couch and obediently headed towards the older woman. They prepared the meal making small talk and discussing potential job opportunities in the area. Sara couldn't help the bubble of optimism rising in her belly. Things were changing, and they were changing for the better.

A/N: Just a little transition chapter to get the ball moving in the right direction. Thank you for all of your support, folks! Your reviews brighten my day and inspire me to write even when I have a block.